diff --git a/Modules/_testcapi/long.c b/Modules/_testcapi/long.c
index 70e315cdb8a..1be8de5e576 100644
--- a/Modules/_testcapi/long.c
+++ b/Modules/_testcapi/long.c
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ test_long_and_overflow(PyObject *self, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
     }
     temp = PyNumber_Add(num, one);
     Py_DECREF(one);
-    Py_DECREF(num);
-    num = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(num, temp);
     if (num == NULL)
         return NULL;
     overflow = 0;
@@ -165,8 +164,7 @@ test_long_and_overflow(PyObject *self, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
     }
     temp = PyNumber_Subtract(num, one);
     Py_DECREF(one);
-    Py_DECREF(num);
-    num = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(num, temp);
     if (num == NULL)
         return NULL;
     overflow = 0;
@@ -285,8 +283,7 @@ test_long_long_and_overflow(PyObject *self, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
     }
     temp = PyNumber_Add(num, one);
     Py_DECREF(one);
-    Py_DECREF(num);
-    num = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(num, temp);
     if (num == NULL)
         return NULL;
     overflow = 0;
@@ -329,8 +326,7 @@ test_long_long_and_overflow(PyObject *self, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
     }
     temp = PyNumber_Subtract(num, one);
     Py_DECREF(one);
-    Py_DECREF(num);
-    num = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(num, temp);
     if (num == NULL)
         return NULL;
     overflow = 0;
diff --git a/Objects/longobject.c b/Objects/longobject.c
index bb9e40f862a..f4bd981e4b9 100644
--- a/Objects/longobject.c
+++ b/Objects/longobject.c
@@ -2598,8 +2598,7 @@ long_from_non_binary_base(const char *start, const char *end, Py_ssize_t digits,
                 memcpy(tmp->ob_digit,
                        z->ob_digit,
                        sizeof(digit) * size_z);
-                Py_DECREF(z);
-                z = tmp;
+                Py_SETREF(z, tmp);
                 z->ob_digit[size_z] = (digit)c;
                 ++size_z;
             }
@@ -4140,8 +4139,7 @@ l_divmod(PyLongObject *v, PyLongObject *w,
         (Py_SIZE(mod) > 0 && Py_SIZE(w) < 0)) {
         PyLongObject *temp;
         temp = (PyLongObject *) long_add(mod, w);
-        Py_DECREF(mod);
-        mod = temp;
+        Py_SETREF(mod, temp);
         if (mod == NULL) {
             Py_DECREF(div);
             return -1;
@@ -4152,8 +4150,7 @@ l_divmod(PyLongObject *v, PyLongObject *w,
             Py_DECREF(div);
             return -1;
         }
-        Py_DECREF(div);
-        div = temp;
+        Py_SETREF(div, temp);
     }
     if (pdiv != NULL)
         *pdiv = div;
@@ -4189,8 +4186,7 @@ l_mod(PyLongObject *v, PyLongObject *w, PyLongObject **pmod)
         (Py_SIZE(mod) > 0 && Py_SIZE(w) < 0)) {
         PyLongObject *temp;
         temp = (PyLongObject *) long_add(mod, w);
-        Py_DECREF(mod);
-        mod = temp;
+        Py_SETREF(mod, temp);
         if (mod == NULL)
             return -1;
     }
@@ -4430,8 +4426,7 @@ long_true_divide(PyObject *v, PyObject *w)
     else {
         PyLongObject *div, *rem;
         div = x_divrem(x, b, &rem);
-        Py_DECREF(x);
-        x = div;
+        Py_SETREF(x, div);
         if (x == NULL)
             goto error;
         if (Py_SIZE(rem))
@@ -4561,8 +4556,7 @@ long_invmod(PyLongObject *a, PyLongObject *n)
         if (l_divmod(a, n, &q, &r) == -1) {
             goto Error;
         }
-        Py_DECREF(a);
-        a = n;
+        Py_SETREF(a, n);
         n = r;
         t = (PyLongObject *)long_mul(q, c);
         Py_DECREF(q);
@@ -4574,8 +4568,7 @@ long_invmod(PyLongObject *a, PyLongObject *n)
         if (s == NULL) {
             goto Error;
         }
-        Py_DECREF(b);
-        b = c;
+        Py_SETREF(b, c);
         c = s;
     }
     /* references now owned: a, b, c, n */
@@ -4670,8 +4663,7 @@ long_pow(PyObject *v, PyObject *w, PyObject *x)
             temp = (PyLongObject *)_PyLong_Copy(c);
             if (temp == NULL)
                 goto Error;
-            Py_DECREF(c);
-            c = temp;
+            Py_SETREF(c, temp);
             temp = NULL;
             _PyLong_Negate(&c);
             if (c == NULL)
@@ -4691,8 +4683,7 @@ long_pow(PyObject *v, PyObject *w, PyObject *x)
             temp = (PyLongObject *)_PyLong_Copy(b);
             if (temp == NULL)
                 goto Error;
-            Py_DECREF(b);
-            b = temp;
+            Py_SETREF(b, temp);
             temp = NULL;
             _PyLong_Negate(&b);
             if (b == NULL)
@@ -4701,8 +4692,7 @@ long_pow(PyObject *v, PyObject *w, PyObject *x)
             temp = long_invmod(a, c);
             if (temp == NULL)
                 goto Error;
-            Py_DECREF(a);
-            a = temp;
+            Py_SETREF(a, temp);
             temp = NULL;
         }
 
@@ -4718,8 +4708,7 @@ long_pow(PyObject *v, PyObject *w, PyObject *x)
         if (Py_SIZE(a) < 0 || Py_SIZE(a) > Py_SIZE(c)) {
             if (l_mod(a, c, &temp) < 0)
                 goto Error;
-            Py_DECREF(a);
-            a = temp;
+            Py_SETREF(a, temp);
             temp = NULL;
         }
     }
@@ -4786,9 +4775,7 @@ long_pow(PyObject *v, PyObject *w, PyObject *x)
          * because we're primarily trying to cut overhead for small powers.
          */
         assert(bi);  /* else there is no significant bit */
-        Py_INCREF(a);
-        Py_DECREF(z);
-        z = a;
+        Py_SETREF(z, Py_NewRef(a));
         for (bit = 2; ; bit <<= 1) {
             if (bit > bi) { /* found the first bit */
                 assert((bi & bit) == 0);
@@ -4874,8 +4861,7 @@ long_pow(PyObject *v, PyObject *w, PyObject *x)
         temp = (PyLongObject *)long_sub(z, c);
         if (temp == NULL)
             goto Error;
-        Py_DECREF(z);
-        z = temp;
+        Py_SETREF(z, temp);
         temp = NULL;
     }
     goto Done;
@@ -5444,8 +5430,7 @@ _PyLong_GCD(PyObject *aarg, PyObject *barg)
             /* no progress; do a Euclidean step */
             if (l_mod(a, b, &r) < 0)
                 goto error;
-            Py_DECREF(a);
-            a = b;
+            Py_SETREF(a, b);
             b = r;
             alloc_a = alloc_b;
             alloc_b = Py_SIZE(b);
@@ -5766,8 +5751,7 @@ _PyLong_DivmodNear(PyObject *a, PyObject *b)
         goto error;
     if (quo_is_neg) {
         temp = long_neg((PyLongObject*)twice_rem);
-        Py_DECREF(twice_rem);
-        twice_rem = temp;
+        Py_SETREF(twice_rem, temp);
         if (twice_rem == NULL)
             goto error;
     }
@@ -5781,8 +5765,7 @@ _PyLong_DivmodNear(PyObject *a, PyObject *b)
             temp = long_sub(quo, (PyLongObject *)one);
         else
             temp = long_add(quo, (PyLongObject *)one);
-        Py_DECREF(quo);
-        quo = (PyLongObject *)temp;
+        Py_SETREF(quo, (PyLongObject *)temp);
         if (quo == NULL)
             goto error;
         /* and remainder */
@@ -5790,8 +5773,7 @@ _PyLong_DivmodNear(PyObject *a, PyObject *b)
             temp = long_add(rem, (PyLongObject *)b);
         else
             temp = long_sub(rem, (PyLongObject *)b);
-        Py_DECREF(rem);
-        rem = (PyLongObject *)temp;
+        Py_SETREF(rem, (PyLongObject *)temp);
         if (rem == NULL)
             goto error;
     }
@@ -5857,8 +5839,7 @@ int___round___impl(PyObject *self, PyObject *o_ndigits)
 
     /* result = self - divmod_near(self, 10 ** -ndigits)[1] */
     temp = long_neg((PyLongObject*)ndigits);
-    Py_DECREF(ndigits);
-    ndigits = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(ndigits, temp);
     if (ndigits == NULL)
         return NULL;
 
@@ -5870,21 +5851,18 @@ int___round___impl(PyObject *self, PyObject *o_ndigits)
 
     temp = long_pow(result, ndigits, Py_None);
     Py_DECREF(ndigits);
-    Py_DECREF(result);
-    result = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(result, temp);
     if (result == NULL)
         return NULL;
 
     temp = _PyLong_DivmodNear(self, result);
-    Py_DECREF(result);
-    result = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(result, temp);
     if (result == NULL)
         return NULL;
 
     temp = long_sub((PyLongObject *)self,
                     (PyLongObject *)PyTuple_GET_ITEM(result, 1));
-    Py_DECREF(result);
-    result = temp;
+    Py_SETREF(result, temp);
 
     return result;
 }
@@ -5949,8 +5927,7 @@ int_bit_length_impl(PyObject *self)
     Py_DECREF(x);
     if (y == NULL)
         goto error;
-    Py_DECREF(result);
-    result = y;
+    Py_SETREF(result, y);
 
     x = (PyLongObject *)PyLong_FromLong((long)msd_bits);
     if (x == NULL)
@@ -5959,8 +5936,7 @@ int_bit_length_impl(PyObject *self)
     Py_DECREF(x);
     if (y == NULL)
         goto error;
-    Py_DECREF(result);
-    result = y;
+    Py_SETREF(result, y);
 
     return (PyObject *)result;
 
@@ -6026,8 +6002,7 @@ int_bit_count_impl(PyObject *self)
         if (y == NULL) {
             goto error;
         }
-        Py_DECREF(result);
-        result = y;
+        Py_SETREF(result, y);
     }
 
     return result;